Car-vestibule diaphragm



March 3, 1931. F. M. GUNN ET AL CAR VESTIBULE DIAPHRAGM Filed Aug. 9, 192

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rnnircrsaneunlv AND HUG@ reunirse, or cirrcneo, nrntnvors, Assrenons To THE rnrntruniv can e rreuurecrnnrue Conronefrron, or CHICAGO, ILLINors, A CCR- ronnmron or IL trNors CAR-vus'riBULE DIAPHRAGM Appncaummea August a, ieaefserial No. 384,574.'l

The invention `relates generally to dia-- phragms Yadapted to unite the vestibules of adjacent car platforms, and specifically to diaphragms in which'the top portion is of metal and the sides formed of canvas or like material, and isparticularly designed to adapt itself'to existing` vestibule conditions except for the provision of a pocket under the hood of the car to accommodate the metal top, the sides of the diaphragm being secured to the face plate and vestibule'wall as before. 'Y- f Heretofore, efforts have been made to employ diaphragms having meta-l hoods for the purpose ofprolonging'the life of the vestibule connections by providing some protection from the destructive eifects of sparks,

hot cinders, and dirt lodging in the folds of the c-anvas tops then used. Such hoods were usedfin connection with diaphragms having sides and connecting tops.. The hoods were pitched to provide a watershed and the diaphragm tops were either sloped to conform tothe pitch of the overlying hoods or dis-- posed horizontally. Thus disposed, the ktops encroached upon the pistonV of the upper buifing device common-ly used on Pullman cars and `had tobecut away in the piston area of movement to avoid interference, a practice detrimental to both stability and operation of the diaphragm.

Other constructions involved the hanging of the diaphragm sides from a. metaltop, the metal tops being cumbered not only with the weight of thei sides but required securing de vices in theirunder faces to adequately support them. Metal tops thus equipped were required to be of metal heavy enough to prevent sagging under the weight imposed and contributed not a little to the load carried upon the buffer sidev stems supporting'the faceplate to whichthe diaphragm is secured. The top plates so employed were flat and kmade no provision for the accommodation phragm li-Xedto the face plate, the car end *being formed with continuous pockets adaptfects inherently present Vin constructionsof [type indicated, the diaphragm of Jthe .present embodiment has been assembiedwith an voverlving metal'top firfedlysecured tothe face plate and pitchedto at oncerigidify the top and provide a watershed, rendering such top self-sustaining and unhampe-red any interlocking connection with the-diaphragm sides, the whole'being arranged to preserve 'an operating relationrbetween the parts during car movement. f

The foregoing and otherradvantagesare attained by the mechanism illust'ratedinjthe accompanying drawings, inflwhich,

Y insure 1 i@ a dual front elevational view and vertical section taken; online 1 1 of Figure 2; and i n Figure 2 is a verticalsection through diaphragni and upper buiiing piston and` diaphragm top pockets in the carend, taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.` f

In the drawing, 10 represents a railway car equipped with a diaphragmbu-ilt inaccrrdance with the invention, and lhisfthe diapnragm face plate- EO whichY is secured a pair of diaphragm sides 12eaeh comprising a pair of folded sections united attheir meeting edges 13 and secured alongtheir respective outeredges 1 4: Vand 15kt() the faceplate and car end, respectively. In; the practice of the invention, the sides 12 at their-.respective upper extremities 16 are sha-pred to :assume a general ogee `Aconfiguration with theirv top ends 17 inclinedv outwardly Y,and downwardly for a purpose presently to appear. To edect the desired ogefe contourthe sides are reversely folded atseparatedpoints 18 an-d19, and stitched along the' fo-ldsvof the diaphragm sides as shown. Y

The sides 12l are spanned by an; overlying ties 16 of thevdiaphragm sides 12, the width ffl of the metal top is materially reduced, since the les at that level are substantially within the normal planes of the sides below the otlsets as best shown in Figure "i. The metal top is pitched with its sloping sides extending with their areas completely overlying the diaphragm sides l2 at the' respective upper ends l? to amply protect the vestibule interior from the elements during car movement.

As both top and sides are secured to and move with the face plate during movement of the cars about a curve in the track, it is not important, though desirable, that there be positive contact between the inclined ends 17 of the offset upper portions le and the respectively adjacent sloping underfaces of the metal` top 2l, since it has been. demonstrated in practice that ample protection from the elements is afforded the vestibule interior even though the parts be slightly out of contact with each other.

By virtue ofthe overlapping zones of movement of sloping upper ends l? of the diaphragm sides and metal top 2l, positive engagement between these parts is assured when the sloping sides of the metil top move towards the respectively adjacent diaphragm side, preventing any possible displacement of the diaphragm sides from their positions under the metal top at points farthest re- Vmovedfrom the face plate.

The diaphragm sides l2 are secured to the vestibule end and collapse under pressure of face plate movement, but the pitched metal top 2l, being comparatively rigid and of relatively greater length, must be. accommodated within an enclosed recess in the vestibule end. Accordingly', provision is made to receive the top in pocket 20, anticlinal in transverse section and proportioned to provide ample clearance for the operative movements of the plate.

Pocket 2O is preferably of cast aluminum or the like, for lightness in weight, but may be built up of separate metal parts, if desired. As shown, the pocket is of channel formation in longitudinal section with suitable attaching flanges 24 disposed along the outer margins of the pocket and surrounding the pocket opening and secured to the car by screws 25 or li l:e fastening devices. The pocket is pitched to conform to diaphragm top plate 2l and comprises an upper wall portion 26, inner wall 27, side Walls 28, and a lower wall portion 29, thelatter being inclined towards the poclret opening to avoid accumulations of wat-er and other matter at the lower corners of the pocket.

Merging with the inclined lower wall 29 at its outer margin is a watershed 30 designed to prevent water, if any in the pocket, from dripping inside the vestibule. As indicated in Figure 1, the watershed terminates adjacentthe side walls 28 of the pocket and there merges with the lower wall as at 3l,

providing open drains 32 to the outside of the diaphragm. To insure freedom from possible interference between diaphragm top 2l and side and end pocket walls 27 and 28, the adjacent inner corners ofthe diaphragm top plate are cutaway as indicated at 33 in Figure 2.

Beneath the apex of the pitched metal pocket 2O is the customary spring and piston housing 3l of the upper buil'ing device. The single piston 85 is secured at one. end to the face plate ll and is freely slidable at its opposite end in a bearing the inner end f the' housing, a spring 36 coiled about the piston and seating at its opposite ends against the face plate and housing yieldably opposing'inward movement of the diaphragm. it the lower end of the dia `ihragm the face plate ll is secured in the usual manner to the buffer Vangle 37 operatively connected and supported by center and side stems 3S and 39 movable in the butler end sill e() of the vestibule platform.

By the mechanism above described there has been provided an er'licient diaphragm, economical of application and simple in construction, and because of the water and :tireproof top construction the maintenance and operatingcosts chargeable against the diaphragm are held to al minimum.

lllhat we claim is l. ln a railway car, a vestibule diaphragm comprising a rigid metal top pitched to provide a watershed, and relatively collapsible fabric sides.

2. ln a railway cai', a` vestibule diaphragm comprising a rigid metal top of less than the normal width of the diaphragm below said top, and fabric sides.

8. In a railway car, a vestibule diaphragm comprising a rigid -metal top of less than the normal width of the diaphragm below said top, and fabric sides having their respective upper ends of general ogee coni'iguration.

t. In a car vestibule construction, the combination with the vestibule end and diaphragm face plate, of a rigid metal top fixed at one Vend to said face plate, fabric diaphragm sides secured to and collapsible be- "112 tween said face plate and end beneath said top, and a pocket member in said end adapted to normally receive said top.

5. In a c-arvestibule construction, the combination with the vestibule end and diaphragm face plate, of a rigid metal top fixed at one edge to the face plate and normally eX- tending with its free edge beyond the end, fabric diaphragmsides secured to and collapsible between said end and face plate, and al pocket member in said end adapted to receive said top,

6. In a` cai' vestibule construction, the com bination with the vestibule end and diaphragm face plate, of a rigid metal top pitched to provide a watershed fixed at one l edge to the face plate and normally extending with its free edge beyond the end, an anticlinal pocket member in said end adapted to receive said top, and fabric diaphragm sides secured to and collapsible between said face plate and end.

7, n a railway car, a vestibule diaphragm Y comprising a face plate, an independentlyrv supported and rigid vmetal top fixed to said face plate, and collapsible fabric sides having their respective upper end portions inwardly offset Within the area-of said top.

8. ln a car vestibule construction, the com bination with the vestibule end and dia-- phragm face plate, of fabric diaphragm i sides supported by and collapsible between said end and face plate, an independently v y supported and rigid metal topfixed at-one edge to said face plate and normally extend,-

ing with its free edge beyond said end, and d a pocket member in saidendadapted to receive said top. 9. In a car vestibule construction, the combination with the vestibule end and dia; phragm face plate, of fabric diaphragm sides supported by and collapsible between said endy and face plate, an independently supported and rigid metal top fixed at one edge to saidy face plate and normally extending with its free edge beyondsaid end, and a pocket member in said end adapted to receive said top, said fabric vsides having their respective upper ends olfset inwardly within the Varea of said top. Y f

10. In a car vestibule construction, the combination with thefvestibule end and diaphragm faceplate, of fabric diaphragm sides ysupported by and collapsible between said end and face plate and having their respec-l of said top.

l1. ln a car vestibuleA construction, the combination with the vestibule end and da# phragm face plate, of an independently supported and pitched metal top fixed at one edge to said face plate and normally extending with its free edge beyond said end, and fabric diaphragm sides supported by and collapsible between said end and face plate and having their respective upper ends bent Y inwardly and upwardly with their extremities inclined downwardly and outwardly Y within tlie'plane of said top.

:in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 26th day of July, 1929. Y

` FRANCS M. GUNN.

HUGO F. SEDLER. 

